


Count on me

by Merlins_little_sister



Series: Camelove 2021 [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Camelove 2021, Day 4 - Cupids Aro, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up Together, Growing up in Camelot, Ice Skating, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Queen Gwen (Merlin), Siblings, Snow, Winter, long term friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlins_little_sister/pseuds/Merlins_little_sister
Summary: Leon and Gwen have known each other since they were children. They have been growing up together. One day during an especially cold winter, they are reminded of how their friendship first started.-Written for day 4 of Camelove 2021.
Relationships: Elyan & Gwen (Merlin), Gwen & Elyan & Leon (Merlin), Gwen & Leon (Merlin), Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Camelove 2021 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2155995
Comments: 5
Kudos: 14
Collections: Camelove 2021





	Count on me

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story for the fourth day of Camelove 2021. The topic of this day is 'Cupids Aro - Aromantic Relationships'.  
> This is my interpretation of the topic - A story about the beauty of friendships. It's also a story about sibling bonds, but the focus is very much on the long term friendship between Leon and Gwen. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> Many thanks to my beta [@ursus-mari](https://www.tumbex.com/ursus-mari.tumblr/posts)!!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr under @waiting4thedoctor. :)

When Leon bursts into the room, Gwen and Arthur are only just done with breakfast. Merlin is in the middle of cleaning up the table when suddenly the door swings open without a warning. The three of them turn towards the door to look at the unannounced visitor. 

"Leon!" Arthur exclaims in surprise. Leon never bursts into a room without knocking, so naturally Arthur is a bit worried by this. "What are you doing here? Today is your free day. Did something happen?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, your majesties, Merlin." He gives a little bow towards Gwen and Arthur, then he nods in Merlin's direction. "I didn't mean to startle you. I'm here to borrow Gwen, if that's all right." Arthur still looks surprised, but nods. 

"I think my wife is quite capable of speaking for herself," he says and smiles at Gwen, who turns towards Leon. 

"Sure," she says to Leon. "What are we doing?" 

"The lake is frozen," Leon says, giving no further explanation. Gwen doesn't seem to need one, because she immediately hurries to grab her coat and gloves from the nearby closet. Merlin and Arthur look at each other in confusion. 

"I'll be back for lunch," Gwen says. She plants a quick kiss on Arthur's cheek, before she and Leon vanish from the room. 

"Be careful," Arthur calls after her, but Gwen doesn't hear him anymore. 

It's a short way to the lake and just like Leon had said, it's completely frozen. 

"Oh my gosh, Leon! Look at this. It's beautiful!" Gwen exclaims at the sight before her. The present winter is the coldest in a while. Snow and ice cover the trees, the bushes, and the ground. It has been so many years since the lake was frozen enough for an adult to walk on it. 

"I knew you would like that," Leon says. He steps forward and sets one foot on the ice. 

"Stop," Gwen says. A smile curls around her lips. "Before you go onto the ice, you have to test its safety."

Leon steps back and looks at Gwen with wide eyes. 

"You actually remember that," he says. 

"How could I forget? You taught me how to do that."

"I know. But you were 4," Leon answers his friend. 

"I was 5!" Gwen says. Her face is serious and she stands with her hands on her hips, facing Leon. 

"No," Leon laughs. “It was January. Your birthday is in February. You were still 4 years old, Gwenny." Gwen looks surprised to hear her old nickname from Leon. "I'm sorry," Leon trails back, unsure if he has overstepped or not. After all, Gwen is not a little girl anymore. And not only that, she is also the Queen of Camelot. "I shouldn't have called you that, your --" 

"Don't," Gwen interrupts him. "You don't need to apologize. It's fine. It's just that nobody has called me Gwenny since my father died. It brings back all those memories." She smiles, and for a moment, she loses herself in the memories of her childhood.

*

*

*

One day during an especially cold winter in Camelot -- Gwen was playing with some wooden toys, while her father did his work -- Elyan burst through the front door and asked their father if he could go to the lake with his friends to slide on the ice. Gwen was immediately excited, she had never been on ice before and thought it would be fun. 

"Yes, but you have to take Gwenny with you," he said, pointing to the little girl in the corner of the room who was bouncing with excitement.

"But father, she is so small, my friends will make fun of me if I bring my baby sister along," Elyan had exclaimed in frustration. He was 7 at the time, as were most of his friends. 

"I'm not a baby, I'm almost 5 years old!" Gwen had yelled at her older brother like kids do. "That's almost a full hand!"

"You take her with you, or you can't go at all," her father had responded, and Elyan was forced to agree.

"Keep an eye on her, and be careful, do you understand?" her father had eyed both of his children, before letting them go. Gwen had dressed herself in rapid speed, and Elyan had taken her hand to walk her to the lake. 

When they arrived at the frozen lake, it had looked much like today. Elyan had let go of her hand as soon as his friends came in sight. 3 or 4 other boys had been there, but only one of them had taken interest in Gwen at all. 

"And who are you?" he had said, leaning down to little Gwen. 

"I'm Gwen. Well, actually it's Guinevere, but Ely and father don't call me that." Gwen had extended her hand to the older boy. 

"Nice to meet you, Miss Gwen. I'm Leon."

Gwen remembers that Leon's clothes had looked different than her own. More expensive, probably. Even at her young age, she was well aware that her family didn't have a lot of money. 

"Are you a noble?" she had asked him bluntly. 

"Well, yes," he had answered. "My parents don't really care what I do when I don't have training or school, though." 

"Are you older than Ely?" Gwen had said. 

"I'm 10. And you are asking a lot of questions, young lady." 

Gwen had just shrugged her shoulders, and attempted to follow her brother on the ice, but Leon had stopped her. 

"Stop, Gwen! Before you go onto the ice, you have to test its safety. Always." Leon had looked at her with a serious face. 

"But I don't know how to do that," she had answered, a little frightened, eying the ice with suspicion. 

"I'll show you." 

So, Leon had shown Gwen how to test if the ice was safe for walking on, and then they had spent what felt like half of the day sliding over the ice. 

That day had been the start of a very good friendship. Even though Leon was 5 years older than Gwen, they had spent a lot of time together since then. And even though they had promised each other that they would go to the lake again, they never actually had done it. If because of the weather, or for other reasons, Gwen doesn't know. But she has never forgotten. 

*

*

*

Gwen shakes herself out of the memories and watches Leon as he tests the ice. 

"It's safe, come on." Leon extends his gloved hand to Gwen, and together they slide over the ice. It's an amazing day. The winter sun is shining brightly, making the snow and the ice sparkle in the sun. For one short hour, Gwen is not the Queen of Camelot, and Leon is not the first knight. They are just friends. They are  _ still _ friends. 

  
  
  
  



End file.
